Torque measuring wrench



B. PEPPERDINE TORQUE MEASURING WRENCH Feb. 27, 1940.

Filed June 25, 1937 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES aromas PATENT OFFICE TORQUE MEASURING WRENCH Ben Pepperdine, Chicago, Ill. Application June 23, 1937, Serial No. 149,897

4 Claims. (Cl. 265-1) The invention relates to improvements in torque measuring Wrenches and has for its primary object the provision of an improved wrench of the character indicated which is of y'simple construction and highly eiilcient in use.

f Another. object of the invention is' the provision of a. wrench of the character indicated whichcan not get out of adjustment and will 'therefore be permanently accurate in operation.

": Another object of the invention is the provision of a wrench of the character' indicated in which the measuring means is readilyA removable and replaceable.

` Another object of u vision of a wrench of the character HVindicated which is of compact design and therefore useable efficiently in connned or limited space.

,Other objects Will appear hereinafter.

The' invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and. in which: I

Fig. 1 is a'top plan view of a torque measuring` wrench embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed section taken 'through a compressible chamber or metallic bell lows employed in the construction.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing comprises a wrench head I 0 of any usual or desired construction and having a socket wrench II detachably and operatively connected therewith in the usual way. A wrench arm I2 is operatively connected with the wrench head I0 preferably by means of a usual form oi' ratchet such for example as that illustrated in U. S. patent to McGuiey, No. 1,258,582 dated March 5, 1918, and whereby the socket wrench A Il may be readily ;turned in one direction by means or the wrench arm I2 as will be readily o understood by those skilled in the art'. A handle-lever I3- is plvotalJy mounted on the wrench head I0 and is provided at its free end with a'knurled` handle I4. At substantially its center the handle-lever `I3 is provided with a boss or enlargement Il having a transverse bore in registration with the end of the wrench arm I2, as indicatedgy A sealed compresslble chamber I6 in the form ofV a metallic bellows having cor-` rugated sides as shown is soldered or otherwise Secured to a bored'iitting Il which has threadedV connection.l at I8 with the bore in the boss Il and wherebysaidchamber maybe readily removed the inventionjis the pro- X and replaced. A contact cap I9 is loosely arranged over the end oi the chamber I6 vand in the corresponding` end of the bore in the boss I5, in position to makeoperatve contact with I the contact nger 20 at the operative end of the 5 Wrench arm I2, said contact cap serving to protect the end of the chamber I6 from injury or Wear. A metallic clip 2I is securedas shown to the wrench arm I2 and loosely embraces the handle lever I3 thereby permitting of limited 10 movement between them so `as to facilitate the operation ot the wrench arm I2 in manipulating the wrench I I. y

`A pressure gauge 22 is arranged ingsealed communication with the bore of the tting I1 and 15 chamber I6 through the medium of a threaded nipple 23, said pressure gauge being provided with an indicator arm 24 cooperating with a scale thereon as shown; The pressure chamber I6, bore of the tting I1, and the interior of the 20 gauge 22 are evacuated of air and completely iilled with a liquid permanently sealed to hold heavy pressure and the scale oi.' the gauge 22 is graduated to read in ioot pounds.

In use and in operation the wrench II, carried 25 by the wrench head I0 is engaged with a nut and the handle-lever I3u manipulated to press the contact cap i9 against the contact finger 2i)l of the wrench arm I2, thereby exerting tightening force or torque onl the nut. Obviously the so Y reaction from the force thus exerted will be transmitted to the end of the chamber or bellows I6, thereby compressing the sides thereof and transmitting the pressure of said reaction to the pressure gauge 22 where it will be indicatedin'foot 35 pounds thereon. In this way the operator may know in foot pounds exactly the torque he is exerting on the wrench and therefore may accurately and uniformly tighten nuts on constructions requiring such careful manipulation thereof. Q All joints being permanently sealed there is no possibility of leakage and therefore the gauge can not get out of adjustment and will be permanently accurate. There are no moving parts in the construction to Wear; the bellows and gauge 5 assembly may be readily removed and replaced if necessary; all detailed graduations and adjustments may be permanently made at the factory; the compactness voi design permits of 'ready use ot the wrench in limited space; and the wrench 50 will be found/to be durable and highly eiilcient in use. The specic form and arrangement of parts disclosed is a 'simple and effective one for the purpose.

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ferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect this is capable of variations and modifications -without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I therefore d o not wish to be limited to the `precise details disclosed but desire to avail myself of such variations and modications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I I claim:

1. The combination witha wrench head and wrench arm operatively connected therewith, of a handle-lever pivotally connected with said head in operative relation with said arm, there being a transverse bore in said handle-lever in registration with the operative end of said wrench arm; a sealed compressible metal chamber filled with fluid and having corrugated -sides arranged in said Ibore and having threaded connection therewith; a contact cap loosely iitting over the end of said chamber and in said bore and makying operative contactwith said Wrench arm; and a pressure gauge inoperative communication with said chamber.

2. The combination with a wrench head and wrench arm operatively connected therewith, of a handle-lever pvotally connected with said head in operative relation with said arm, there being a transverse bore in said handle-lever in registration wlth thel operative end of said wrench arm; a sealed compressible metal chamber nlled with fluid and having corrugated sides arransed in said bore and having threaded connection therewith; a contact cap loosely tting over the end of said chamber and in said bore and making operative contact with said wrench arm; a pressure gauge in operative communication with said chamber; and a controlling connection bel tween said wrench arm and handle-lever permitting limited movement between them.

3. The combination with a wrench head and a wrench arm member operatively connected therewith, of a handle lever member pivotallyconnected with -said head in operative relation with said arm member, there being a transverse bore in one of said members; a sealed uid illled chamber threaded in said bore in operative contact with the other of said members; and a pressure gauge in operative communication with said chamber.

4. The combination with a wrench head and a wrench arm. member operatively connected therewith of a. handle lever member pivotally connected with said head in operative relation with said arm member, there being a transverse bore in one of said members; a sealed iluidfilled chamber having flexible sides removably mounted in said' bore in operative, contact with the other of said members; and a pressure gauge in operative communication with said member.

BEN PEPPERDINE. 

